Braves 3B Johnson agrees to extension

ATLANTA — Braves third baseman Chris Johnson gets to keep his dream job for another three years.

Atlanta was the team he cheered for while growing up in South Florida, and he idolized third baseman Chipper Jones.

“In this game, not many times does a team tell a player they want him to be around for a really long time,” Johnson said. “I’m excited they feel that way about me and have the confidence in me to be around for a little while. Now I just want to work as hard as I can to prove they’re right.”

After agreeing to a $23.5 million, three-year deal announced Friday, Johnson is under contract through 2017.

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The 29-year-old was among the team’s biggest surprises last season. A supposed throw-in to the Justin Upton trade, Johnson ranked second in the NL with a .321 average. He had 12 homers and 68 runs batted in.

Notes

• Cleveland Indians All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained side muscle. He is expected to be sidelined for three to five weeks.

• Former All-Star Joel Hanrahan agreed to a $1 million, one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, who are hopeful the right-hander can bolster a shaky bullpen when he’s ready to pitch again. Hanrahan had Tommy John surgery last May.

• The Minnesota Twins placed center fielder Aaron Hicks on the seven-day disabled list with concussion-like symptoms, and right-hander Mike Pelfrey was headed for the 15-day DL after reporting soreness in his left groin.

• The Royals placed left-hander Bruce Chen on the disabled list with a bulging disk in his back.

• The Dodgers put left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder and recalled outfielder Chone Figgins.